Whether your ideal drive is a multiday road trip traversing mountain passes and desert sand dunes or you prefer a day trip to bask on white sand beaches or explore ancient ruins, the roads of Africa and the Middle East will lead you to your heart’s desire.
Get inspired and check out our picks for some of the continents’ top road trips and drives. As always, check for travel guidelines and closures before planning your trip.
South Africa
It’s hard to narrow down South Africa’s epic road trip opportunities — there are ample journeys here for every type of traveler.
Take a deep dive into nature on a drive through the Eastern Cape’s Wild Coast, with an N2 highway route East London in the south to the Kwa-Zulu Natal province’s border. Ride up and down undulating hillsides specked with brilliant blue rondavels (circular thatched-roof huts), past rugged stretches of coastline and idyllic beaches.
While the natural beauty is jaw-dropping, make time to check out heritage sites in the region dedicated to anti-apartheid activists and icons Nelson Mandela and Steve Biko, both of whom were born in the area.
For a glimpse of the stunning southwestern coast’s diverse ecosystems, colorful flora, mountain forests, and divine beaches, drive the 124-mile Garden Route along the N2 highway from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to Storms River Mouth on the Eastern Cape.
Morocco
From its historic cities and vibrant casbahs to towering mountains, the windswept Sahara, and striking coastlines, Morocco offers wildly diverse experiences best explored by car at one’s own pace.
Start your trip in Fes, where you’ll want to explore its sprawling medina, or old city. Next, drive westward toward the old imperial city of Meknes. Check out the Bab Mansour Gate, known for its intricate designs, and wander the old market. From here, it’s an easy ride to the coastal city of Casablanca, where you can visit the Hassan Il Mosque, an oceanfront architectural marvel.
Casablanca is a perfect jumping-off point for a journey southward into the High Atlas Mountains — an absolute must while visiting Morocco. It’s a long drive, but you’ll have plenty of opportunities to stop at various overlooks and viewpoints.
Wind your way from the mountains to nearby Marrakech. While here, make your way to the main square, Jemaa el-Fna, in the old quarter, and haggle for souvenirs in the maze of souks. To continue the adventure from the mountain range through even more varied terrain, plot a longer drive eastward to the Erg Chebbi dunes in the Sahara Desert.
Jordan
Jordan’s dramatic desert landscape, ancient ruins, lush oases, picturesque coastal towns, and hilltop villages make it a dream destination for intrepid road trippers. From Amman, a visit to Petra is an absolute must. The ancient, rose-hued, rock-cut capital of the Nabataean people, with its otherworldly sandstone gorge, tombs, and temples, feels like a secret portal into an intriguing period of history.
From Petra, make the drive to Wadi Rum. Wadi translates to “valley,” and the stark, seemingly infinite landscape of orange-red dunes, weather-sculpted sandstone cliffs, jarring rocks, bridges, arches, and gorges in Wadi Rum can make you feel like you’re on another planet.
If you feel like making a splash along the coast, head to the Dead Sea —the lowest point on earth at more than 1,412 feet below sea level. While you cannot swim face-first due to hypersalinity, the high buoyancy means you’ll be floating on your back quite effortlessly. The minerals in the mud are also believed to reinvigorate your skin, and spas along the coast offer mudpacks that you can apply before you get in.
United Arab Emirates
Leave the bustle of Dubai for a drive north toward the tiny emirate of Ajman and onward to the port city of Ras Al-Khaimah. Take time to stop along the way to see the old wooden dhows bobbing in the harbor in Sharjah, palm-lined sandy beaches in Ajman, and centuries-old wind-tower-topped houses in Umm Al Quwain. In Ras-Al Khaimah, make time to explore the atmospheric souks.
If you do only one road trip in the UAE, drive into laid-back Al Ain. As you drive the straight stretch of road, focus on spotting some camels against the tan-colored dunes. Once in Al Ain, an inland oasis city known as the Garden City of the UAE for its lush greenery, you have forts to explore, date-palm oases to discover, and at Hili Archaeological Park, Bronze Age settlements and tombs to wander.
Finally, the Musandam Peninsula is not in the UAE (it’s an enclave of Oman), but the drive through it from Dubai to Khasab is one of the most jaw-dropping in the region. From the UAE–Oman border, a winding road hugs the coast — and each turn reveals yet another tranquil bay where fishers mend nets and locals cross the beach to buy fresh seafood from the boats.
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